This part of saddle fit is based on your horse’s back shape. Hip to knee length determines where your knee and leg fit in accordance to the angle and point of the flap. The saddle should not “pitch” the rider in either direction and allow a balanced seat position. The rider’s knee should fit into the proper position on … A saddle that’s too wide may also tilt down in front. English Saddle Fit for the Rider . If the pommel sits close to or is touching the withers, it’s likely too wide for your horse’s back. Saddle seat. A good rule of thumb for Western riders is that the English seat size is generally two inches larger than a Western saddle seat size. Ultimately, a properly fitted saddle is the best solution. The wider the saddletree, the lower the front of the saddle will sit. Weight in the saddle may change fit dramatically. If the saddle looks like it fits well from the ground, it’s time to go for a test ride to see how your horse goes in it. Hold the pommel and cantle and try to rock the saddle like a rocking horse. English saddles, excluding cutback styles, typically measure 2 inches more than a western saddle. If the saddle is just a little too wide, a thick half pad will help you get some clearance off the back. Often riders will have grown up riding in saddles that were wrong for them regardless how well they fit the horse, and were simply told to “suck it up.” Male trainers have no empathy for the pain female riders can be experiencing in a particular saddle. She’s been instrumental in the production of both magazines and helped Horse Illustrated win a 2018 American Horse Publications Media Award in the General Excellence Self-Supported Publication (circulation 15,000 and over) category. Move your seat bones all the way from the cantle to the pommel. Holly Caccamise has been with Horse Illustrated and Young Rider since 2007, and in August 2019, she took over as head editor. By Jochen Schleese, CMS, Equine Ergonomist. English Horse Training. Set the saddle on your horse’s back with no pad or girth. To fit a saddle correctly there is a list of requirements that need to be met to ensure the horse is comfortable and can move with ease in addition to fitting the rider correctly. You also need to decide on flap length, twist, seat width, thigh rolls or blocks, seat depth, stirrup bar placement, and the number and length of the billets. Set the saddle on your horse’s back with no pad or girth. Western Comparison. While fitting your horse comes first, you won’t be able to ride your best if the saddle doesn’t fit you, too. Any English trained horse can be ridden under a Western saddle, but the sensitivety of communication between horse and rider is reduced. Aches in the hip and lower back areas are very common in women equestrians because they are often riding in saddles that have been built for men. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. When a heavier rider chooses a horse, it should really be key to have a horse with a large enough saddle support area/weight bearing surface to accommodate a bigger saddle which will fit this rider’s conformational needs. When you have a proper fitting saddle for both horse and rider the horse will have freedom of movement and the rider will be in better balance and harmony with the horse. The next step in learning how to fit an english saddle is to make sure there is even contact. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Also, remember that while padding can help fit, it doesn’t fix the problem. Many saddle makers and fitters feel that the primary concern is finding what works for your horse, but we disagree. The seat in this saddle is nice and level. A good rule of thumb is that an English saddle seat size will run around two inches larger than a Western saddle. The deepest part of the saddle seat should be parallel to the ground, … Saddle Tree Width ​ This is one of the points of saddle fit that I see incorrectly fitted very often. Area #1 represents the waist of the saddle (saddle seaming which can be manipulated at will). If you as the rider are not comfortable in your saddle, this discomfort will translate down to your horse and prevent both of you from ever reaching peak performance potential. Of course, many saddles are still bought in the tack shop, but sitting in a saddle on a plastic mold or a stationary horse is not the same as riding a moving animal. Does it arc up really high above them? Our experts will call you on your preferred time. The whole objective of saddle fit is to create a position to enable the rider to sit … The horse’s shoulder blade should slide freely back and forth under the edge of the tree, or the points of the English saddle tree’s pommel. This article originally appeared in the September/October 2017 issue of Young Rider magazine. The seat must be the correct size for the rider. Tips on how to tell if your sidesaddle fits your horse, and answers to frequently-asked questions about "riding aside." There are so many things to think about when you’re riding. Ouch again! The English riding saddle is smaller and weighs less than its Western counterpart, and is designed to allow the rider greater contact with the horse’s back. For more information visit www.saddlesforwomen.com or read Suffering in Silence: The Saddle Fit Link to Physical and Psychological Trauma in Horses. This statement is based on simple anatomical differences that absolutely must be taken into consideration in saddle design and saddle fit. The padded panels on the underside of the saddle need to make even contact with your horse’s back. Online retailers of new or used saddles often offer trials as well, but shipping costs with this method can add up. Is my western saddle too long? Saddles come in different seat sizes. If the wither clearance looks good, check that the saddle is sitting level on your horse’s back, not tilted up or down like a ski slope. Look at the deepest part of the seat to check that it’s in the right place. Preferences as to size, placement, and style of thigh rolls will become evident. Move your hand toward the back of the panel, checking to see if it makes even contact along the middle of the horse’s back. To measure the saddle seat size for English saddles: Take a tape measure and place one end against the nail or button on the left front panel of the saddle near the top. English saddles come in traditional English, hunter, dressage, and jumper varieties. To the right is a picture of a western saddle with the labels of the part. If things are still looking good, put a rider in the saddle. General Rules to Follow First, start with some general rules of thumb for proper western saddle seat size for the rider: Keep in mind that Western saddle seat size refers to rider fit and has nothing to do with how the saddle fits the horse. Experienced riders too should know the different parts, their purpose, and how they are supposed to fit. Read our, ATTENTION CUSTOMERS: Orders and deliveries are temporarily affected by a technical issue, The magazine for people who are passionate about horses, 4 Tips for Balancing Horses and Parenthood, DIY Spring Into Fashion: Make a No-Sew Bag with a Horse Design, Horse and Pony Questions: Rushing the Jumps. Determining the seat size varies depending upon the type of saddle, and in the case of dressage saddles, on the depth of the seat. The rotation and size of the saddle flap should complement the angle of your leg. Fitting the Sidesaddle. If you find that you have trouble balancing from side to side or … Start by looking at wither clearance. To get the proper fit, measure the distance from the saddle “tree” to the horse’s shoulder to offer adequate protection to the horse’s back. Jochen Schleese, Certified Master Saddler, Equine Ergonomist, is a leader in the concept of saddle fit, and teaches his Saddlefit 4 Life® philosophy worldwide. On an English saddle, this is measured from the nailhead on the pommel to the center-top of the cantle. Caccamise has her MS in Animal Science from the University of Kentucky, where she studied equine nutrition and exercise physiology, and her Bachelor’s from UCLA in Biology. There should be approximately four inches between the front of your body and the fork (or swells). This is not an exact calculation, and you should always measure and test it … If you have a saddle that fits OK but not perfectly, there may be hope. But saddle fit to the rider goes way beyond these obvious attributes; it is most important that the saddle is “gender correct.” A woman should not be riding in a saddle that is made for a man, and vice versa. Thank you for choosing this service. Does your horse receive regular dental care? If the flap is too short it will catch on the top of the boot causing the rider discomfort. There used to be the “one hand” rule: if the saddle was correct for the rider, the rider should be able to put one hand across the saddle seat between the back of their butt and the end of the cantle. Us horsepeople love our ponies, so we tend to prioritize the horse’s needs when we’re shopping for a saddle. You can also make an appointment with a professional saddle fitter to try different saddles on your horse and see what he (and you!) Bring your tape measure to the high point on the middle of the cantle. That’s a great starting point, but the bottom line is that you will probably have to try several saddles on your horse to find one that fits best. So for the sake of this article, let’s disregard the key points of saddle fit to the horse, and concentrate on the topic, “fitting the saddle to the rider.” The most obvious differences are the length of the seat from pommel to cantle to accommodate the rider, and the width of the tree to accommodate the horse, but this is only the beginning. See how many fingers fit between the withers and pommel when your saddle is in the correct spot—girth it up to make sure it’s staying securely in the spot where it sits when you ride. It is crucial to be able to try out several models on the horse – moving in all three gaits and in both directions. like the best. 1. You should think about being able to sit in comfort on your seat bones without having your pubic symphysis hitting the pommel area. The shape of the tree determines the fit and width of the saddle. The next step in learning how to fit an english saddle is to make sure there is even contact. Before getting involved in the editorial side of print media, she worked as an award-winning ad copywriter for Thoroughbred Times magazine. Balance of Saddle. Don’t just consider the front and back of the saddle, also look at the seat itself. And I’m on board with that, about 95%. When you are in the market to purchase a saddle, you want to ensure that the saddle you are investing in will not only fit your horse, but will also fit you. Without going into human anatomy in great detail, suffice it to say that in addition to those points mentioned above (which are different for both men and women), you should also consider whether or not there is enough support behind the gluteal muscles to allow you to sit straight and allow the natural shock absorbers in the four natural curves of your spine to work properly. Is my horse moving right? boots the saddle flap should come down below the top of the boot in all riding positions (Figure 5). In the middle of the saddle, Area #2, represents the actual position of the twist (what the rider feels between their upper inner thighs). Click here to subscribe! First off, as a rider you should know that parts of the saddle so if something were to break or someone is talking about a certain part you know what they are talking about. Use one hand to press down on the seat where your weight would be. The size of the seat must to be selected based on the weight and body of the rider, and to the saddle model as well. You have entered an incorrect email address! Your knee should hit at the top point of the flap with at least two fingers to spare. Saddles are built on a frame called a tree, usually made from wood, although some are plastic, metal or carbon fiber. Sometimes you can get very lucky and try a saddle that a friend is selling and have it be a great fit. There is error while submitting your request. A saddle fitter might be able to adjust the flocking or padding inside the saddle to solve minor problems with rocking or bridging, but often the shape of the tree just isn’t the right fit for a particular horse. He is also the author of Suffering in Silence, The Saddle-Fit Link to Physical and Psychological Trauma in Horses. If the saddle is perched four fingers or more above the withers, it is probably too narrow for your horse. Your riding instructor or an experienced horse person can help you check the fit of your saddle. A saddle that is too big or too small will make it hard for you to stay balanced and keep your leg under your body. With a saddle that is too narrow, there is nothing a pad can do. This brings back the old argument: Who’s built best to ride, male or female? Should be large enough to allow you at least one to two fingers of room at the cantle. When you try out saddles, look to fit this part of your leg first. All our saddle pads are 100% made of high-quality breathable cotton. English Horse Training. X Look for rocking. If the pommel or cantle is too low, you can try a riser pad to lift the front or back of the saddle. You Have Trouble with Your Balance. Getting the correct saddle for the rider and the horse depends on two things – the type of riding and properly measuring and fitting the saddle. Riding will allow the rider to become aware of where the seat bones are, how the pelvis is tilted, how wide the saddle is between the upper inner thighs (twist), and whether there is enough support in the seat foam behind the rider’s gluteus maximus to support the position without causing backaches. This means if you ride in a 15” western saddle, you are likely going to fit a 17” English saddle. 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